Michael and Miriam Ford

Ella Kaye Ford and Yonce Ford

Non-Licensed Helpers

Michael and Miriam are proud to have the fourth generation of funeral service already begun.  Ella Kaye and Yonce help carry flower arrangements and deliver mail and memos from office to office.  As they grow up, they will have more duties - like cleaning the funeral home, filing papers, and driving the flower van - just like their mother and aunt Margaret did. 

Johnny Rowland

Founder and Licensed Funeral Director

Johnny is a second-generation funeral director. He is a member of North Augusta Sertoma Club and the Jesse Lynch American Legion Post. He is a former chairman of the Joint Chambers of Commerce of Aiken and North Augusta and was a deputy coroner of Aiken County. Johnny is a past president of the South Carolina Funeral Directors Association and has served on the policy board of the National Funeral Directors Association. Johnny is a member of First Baptist Church of North Augusta. (SC FD #1324)

Lauren Housman

Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer

Lauren joined Rowland-Ford Funeral Home in October 2021. She is happy to be part of the team and enjoys every facet of serving families.

Following her life-long interest in funeral service, Lauren earned her Associate of Applied Science degree from Piedmont Technical College in 2020.

Lauren graduated from Aiken High School in 2004 and began her collegiate career at sixteen years of age. She then earned an Associate in Arts degree from Aiken Technical College (2007), a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in writing and a minor in sociology from the University of South Carolina Aiken (2010), and a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative nonfiction from Converse College (2014). She is an adjunct professor of English at USCA and the proud co-author of The Suitcase: The Life and Times of Captain X, a World War II-era biography. (SC FDE #4486)

Kimberly Chavous Cypress

Office Manager, Non-Licensed

Kimberly graduated from North Augusta High School in 1998. She has been in the funeral business since 2002 and has been with Rowland-Ford Funeral Home since May 2009. Kimberly is a member of True North Church and love camping with her family and camping family. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Charles; their children, Kayla, Tyler and Olivia; their grand babies, Brayden Parker and Aloni Marie, Daxton Reece and Dallas Reed; and their families.  Kimberly volunteers with Support 1 and is currently on its golf committee.

Gene Barinowski

Non-Licensed Funeral Assistant

Gene and his wife Joyce are residents of North Augusta’s Poverty Hill, a farm place with a history dating back to the Revolutionary War. Gene retired from ConAgra in 1997 and came to work at Rowland-Ford Funeral Home. He enjoys Clemson football and is a member of Martinez Bible Chapel.

Mary Ann Kirkland

Non-Licensed Funeral Assistant

Mary Ann is a graduate of University of South Carolina and an avid Gamecock fan.  She is a retired elementary school teacher after teaching for thirty-four years.  Mary Ann grew up in North Augusta and is a member of First Baptist Church.  She has been employed at Rowland-Ford Funeral Home since 1992

Johnny Shaw

Non-Licensed Funeral Assistant

Johnny is a native of North Augusta.  He and his wife Kay are members of First Baptist Church of North Augusta.  He is retired from the Kroger Company.  They have five children and eleven grandchildren.  He enjoys camping and keeping the grandchildren.

Douglas Robert Hixon

Non-Licensed Funeral Assistant

Doug was born in Augusta, GA and lived in North Augusta all his life. He attended and graduated from North Augusta High School in 1963. Doug attended USC Aiken and was a member of the Unites States Marine Corps Reserves from 1966 until 1972. In June of 1968 Doug joined the North Augusta Department of Public Safety. In 1988 he left the North Augusta Department of Public Safety and was employed by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division until his retirement in November of 2006. Doug began working at the funeral home in 2007 and has been here ever since. 

Benjamin James Clark

Non-Licensed Funeral Assistant

B.J. is a native of the North Augusta area and was born and raised in Edgefield, SC. He and wife, Nicole, have four children, three daughters and a son. B.J. is a military veteran having served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. For the last 13 years B.J. has worked in law enforcement and currently works with Centerra at SRS. One of B.J.’s hobbies is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. B.J. earned a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and is the head Brazilian Jiu Jitsu coach at North Augusta Martial Arts.  

Brannon Rowland

Non-Licensed Funeral Assistant

Being raised in a family of funeral directors, Brannon has been around and involved in funeral service all his life. He retired from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and now lives in Edgefield, SC with his wife Sarah. They have one son Brannon, Jr.